Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to medical devices, in particular to a surgical retractor blade and system.
Even with the advent of minimally invasive surgical techniques, many surgical procedures still require an exposed surgical field for the surgeon to successfully perform. Often, the greater the visibility and access a surgeon has to a surgical site, the greater the probability that a successful outcome will result. Once entry is made into a patient, soft tissue is dissected away further exposing the field. However, the exposed field must be maintained using instruments that do not obstruct either visual or physical access.
Surgical retractors are used to maintain exposure and access to a surgical field. There are a variety of retractors, and different surgical protocols require different styles of retractors. For example, in lumbar surgery the retractor needs to be strong enough to overcome the force exerted by the large muscle mass that has been dissected away from the field of exposure, while maintaining a visual field and access by the surgeon. Additionally, retractors are required to partition other soft-tissue components of the surgical field. This need has lead to retractor systems having solid blades connected to a firm blade-holding retractor frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,608 discloses a curved, solid retractor blade useful for orthopaedic surgery.
During surgery, it is advantageous to have retractor blades that are removably attachable to a support frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,108 is an example of a quick-release ratcheting holder for a surgical retractor. Other mechanisms for holding a retractor blade in position are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,424,724; 4,467,791; 5,375,481; 5,616,117; and 5,893,831.
Accordingly, there exists a need for greater flexibility in a surgical retractor system while improving both visual and physical access by the surgeon to the surgical field.
The present invention provides a surgical retractor blade and system useful for surgical procedures, including orthopaedic and spinal surgery. In one embodiment, the surgical retractor blade of the invention is used with a support frame that includes a horizontally oriented support member having a plurality of mounting holes. This surgical retractor system further includes at least one retractor blade which is mateable at a selected position on the support frame. The retractor blade includes an open access window that facilitates both visual and physical access to the surgical wound.
The retractor blade of the present invention has a substantially elongated, horizontally oriented mounting portion with a longitudinally extending slot formed therein. The retractor blade also comprises a tissue-retracting portion which is integral with and distal to the mounting portion. The tissue-retracting portion has a first section which is coplanar with the mounting portion, and a second section which is angularly oriented with respect to the first section. The open access window is substantially centrally formed, and it is present in both the first and second sections of the tissue-retracting portion of the retractor. The second section of the tissue-retracting position of the blade is preferably angularly oriented with respect to the first section. The angle of orientation is in the range of about 45xc2x0 to 135xc2x0.
The retractor blade also comprises a fastening mechanism that effectively enables it to mate to the support frame in a desired position. In one embodiment, a mounting screw is used to mate the retractor blade to the support frame. Other fastening mechanisms, such as clamping devices, can also be used to fasten the retractor blade to the support frame.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings.